UK Claims Of Moscow's Alleged Plan To Have Pro-Russian Leader In Kiev Nonsense - Ministry

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2022) The Russian Foreign Ministry has commented on UK claims of Moscow's alleged plans to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine, saying that such statements are "nonsense" and a provocation aimed at escalating the situation.

The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a Saturday statement that the Russian government was "looking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kiev" and that former Ukrainian parliament member Yevhen Murayev was being considered as a "potential candidate." The UK foreign ministry also claimed that Russian intelligence was maintaining contact with numerous former Ukrainian politicians including Ukraine's ex-Prime Minister Mykola Azarov.

No evidence was provided to support any of the claims.

Commenting on these statements, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that "the disinformation spread by the British Foreign Office is yet another evidence that it is the NATO countries, led by the Anglo-Saxons, that are escalating tensions around Ukraine."

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the UK to "halt provocative activities, stop spreading nonsense."

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier on Saturday that Moscow expected military and informational provocations from the West and Ukraine on the eve of the Olympic Games in Beijing.